Feeling of pressure in head and dizziness

[Mercury00]

Quite recently I've started having severe migraines, to the point I vomit and faint. They aren't frequent, maybe one every few weeks. I had one last week, and although the initial headache pain went in a day or so, I've had a different kind of pain/ feeling of pressure on my brain, along with dizziness ever since.

I ended up going to the walk in centre on Monday, who sent me to the urgent care department at the hospital. They took some blood and sent me on my way with sumatriptan. I know about "postdrome", where your brain can feel tender after a migraine, but this is getting on for a week later.

The feeling of pressure in my head and dizziness are getting worse though. I hate going to the walk in or the hospital because I feel like I'm wasting the NHS resources.

Should I just give it a few days to see if my noggin improves?

Thanks.

[Chainsaw Rebuild]

I would look at it like this; it could be nothing in which case going to see your GP is half an hour spent on putting your mind at ease. Or it's something and you need to tackle it asap.

So go and see your GP today. Make sure you don't "undersell" your symptoms in the name of not being a trouble - you want real answers. Good luck.

[cliffords]

You are not wasting the NHS time . You have genuine health concerns that I suggest need medical attention. You should go again today and or be seeing your doctor as a matter of urgency . I have no medical training or background.

The drunk stupid people in A&E waste the time you are NOT

[r3g]

Do you drink anything sugar-free or use sweeteners? If so, cut those out and see how you feel after.

[Slowboathome]

I would get that checked out. GP may well be able to rule some things out and they are best person to judge whether it needs to be taken seriously.

That's the value of a good GP - they have seen stuff before and know when to reassure and when something needs to get looked at.

This isn't one for self-diagnosis imho.

Editing to add: when I had a stroke the paramedics initially thought it might be a migraine, but a scan revealed a clot in my brain. Not saying you've had a stroke, but I am saying it's worth getting looked at. If the GP thinks it's nothing significant, ask them what they've ruled out and on what basis. If you're happy with their assessment, then that's the time to start investigating migraine triggers (diet etc).

Edited by Slowboathome on Thursday 24th November 09:43

[g3org3y]

Are you one to suffer headaches generally or is this a new thing for you? You mentioned migraines, something you've had before? They sound quite severe tbh.

Do you feel a postural element to your headaches (i.e. do you feel the headaches/pressure worse when you bend over)?

How are the headaches at night? Are they worse at night? Do they wake you up?

I'm assuming they checked your BP at the UTC (and it was ok)?

Does the sumatriptan terminate the migraine?

TBH, given what you've said, you need to see your GP. Any constant, progressively worsening headache needs (IMO) proper examination +/- investigation.

[Mercury00]

g3org3y said:

Are you one to suffer headaches generally or is this a new thing for you? You mentioned migraines, something you've had before? They sound quite severe tbh.

Do you feel a postural element to your headaches (i.e. do you feel the headaches/pressure worse when you bend over)?

How are the headaches at night? Are they worse at night? Do they wake you up?

I'm assuming they checked your BP at the UTC (and it was ok)?

Does the sumatriptan terminate the migraine?

TBH, given what you've said, you need to see your GP. Any constant, progressively worsening headache needs (IMO) proper examination +/- investigation.

No, the migraines like this are a fairly recent thing. I've had three or four in the past few months. The pain I've got now isn't a headache pain, it's more like a trapped nerve pain, only in my brain. It does feel worse when lying down, but the pain doesn't wake me up.

The hospital said I had slightly high blood pressure, but I suffer from anxiety so it could be related to that. They only gave me four sumatriptan tablets, they said only to take them at the very start of a migraine, so I've not had a chance to use them yet.

Thanks for the advice.

[Mercury00]

I forgot to mention I have pain when coughing, but that's all.

[super7]

Mercury00 said:

g3org3y said:

Are you one to suffer headaches generally or is this a new thing for you? You mentioned migraines, something you've had before? They sound quite severe tbh.

Do you feel a postural element to your headaches (i.e. do you feel the headaches/pressure worse when you bend over)?

How are the headaches at night? Are they worse at night? Do they wake you up?

I'm assuming they checked your BP at the UTC (and it was ok)?

Does the sumatriptan terminate the migraine?

TBH, given what you've said, you need to see your GP. Any constant, progressively worsening headache needs (IMO) proper examination +/- investigation.

No, the migraines like this are a fairly recent thing. I've had three or four in the past few months. The pain I've got now isn't a headache pain, it's more like a trapped nerve pain, only in my brain. It does feel worse when lying down, but the pain doesn't wake me up.

The hospital said I had slightly high blood pressure, but I suffer from anxiety so it could be related to that. They only gave me four sumatriptan tablets, they said only to take them at the very start of a migraine, so I've not had a chance to use them yet.

Thanks for the advice.

If you suffer from Anxiety this could very well be the cause..... I constantly get pressure and dizziness.... You'll probably find all the muscles in your kneck/head are solid causing your scalp to tighten and so causing the pressure sensation, the dizziness also because of the kneck/head muscle tension.

Obviously not a Doc but that's where you should be going......

[g3org3y]

Mercury00 said:

No, the migraines like this are a fairly recent thing. I've had three or four in the past few months. The pain I've got now isn't a headache pain, it's more like a trapped nerve pain, only in my brain. It does feel worse when lying down, but the pain doesn't wake me up.

Mercury00 said:

I forgot to mention I have pain when coughing, but that's all.

For me, these are reason to see your GP and consideration for referral for a scan (MRI head).

DOI: a GP.

Feel free to PM me if you want to discuss further in any way.

[sherman]

Could be anything from Anxiety-Epilepsy- Brain tumor.

Go get yourself seen. At very least you should be getting an MRI.

Having Epliepsy myself. Im wel controlled of medication now.
Post fit when I had a stonking sorehead. Paracetemol/inbuprofen would barely scratch the surface but a cup of decent fresh coffee would usually take the edge off.

Caffine can cause fits/ migraines but can also help with the after effects

[Mercury00]

I've just come back from SDEC at the hospital. They took blood (again), but told me to leave before the results came back because my symptoms "weren't worrying".

I got the impression they thought I was a timewaster, but I don't seek medical help unless I absolutely have to. It's been years since I even saw a GP.

I'll just have to see how things go. Thanks everyone for the advice, and if there are any further updates I'll be sure to post.

[Allegro_Snapon]

Had similar after Covid jab 2 and 3........got prescribed by my GP Carvediolil to take for a week, brought BP right down. GP has seen a lot of people with raised BP / headaches all a few weeks after Covid jabs.

[Evoluzione]

Don't see your GP, post up on the internet and ask Dr PH, that's the most sensible thing to do, ever.
We're all highly trained professionals with your best interests at heart, trust us.

[Krise]

Persist with GP hospital, if you know something isn’t right it isn’t right

I had a similar thing in December 2019, I have always suffered with crippling headaches / migraines since I was a kid and building up to the event I had a week or so of “extra” painful headaches and pressure in my head.

I was going through some huge changes in my career that were going to affect the family so thought I was actually having a panic attack at the time of the event I had.

Did the blokey thing, ignored it, carried on and the symptoms happened again about 6 months later during lockdown, the missus called the GP as I was just going to take a painkiller and persevere as usual, the GP made me go in there and then as she thought I was having a stroke.

I had to monitor my blood pressure for a few weeks, a week after the GP I had an MRI, then a fortnight later another and they think the 2019 event was an, and I stress extremely minor TIA (mini stroke).

During the MRI they also found out my nose is completely blocked and smashed to bits inside, probably as a result of fighting and boxing / MMA when I was younger, that is causing a lot of the pressure around my eyes and head, but that’s another story to get it sorted.

I’m lucky that I had a good GP at the time who really took things seriously, so I would persist with your GP if you worried and you think something isn’t right, I have made lots of changes as my very very very minor event could easily lead to something bigger if I didn’t become of aware of what it was and have now adjusted a few things in my life to reduce the chances of it happening again.

Krise

[Mercury00]

I'm going to try the hospital again later, I think. The whole left side of my brain is hurting, and I'm getting more dizzy.